Automatic lock for cotton-gins.



W. M. BENSON.

AUTOMAHC LOCK FOR COTTON ems.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 6. 1917.

I Patentefl Feb. 5, 11918.

I avmwwtoz WWW ll,YIlI/(Illll/I$IIIIIIIIIIIIII'lI/lllll wiLL'rAM MARIONHenson, or savor, TEXAS.

,. .AUTOMATIG .LOCK.FORCOTTON-GINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net. a, rare.

Application filed March 6, 1917. Serial No. 152,858.

To aZZ whom; it may concern Be it known that I, WVILLIAM MARION HENsoN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Savoy, in the county ofFannin and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Automatic Lockfor Cotton-Gins, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention has reference to automatic locks for cotton gins, andits object isto provide means whereby on raising the ginstand breast itis automatically lockedin the raised position, and accidents whichfrequently happen because of the falling of the gin stand breast areavoided.

It frequently happens in cotton gins that obstructing matters passthrough with the cotton seed and it becomes necessary for the operatorto raise the breast and place he hands within the same to remove suchobstructions, this act being performed without stopping the operation ofthe machine. 1

Should the breast accidentally fall while the operator has his handsbeneath the breast to remove obstructions, injuries are caused to theoperator, which injuries are frequently of so serious a nature as toresult in the loss of one'or both hands, or one or both arms. Injuriesof such character and from such cause are the most frequent in theoperation of cotton gins, and represent perhaps ninetenths or more ofall injuries which occur in the operation of cotton gins.

To raise the breast from "its normal oper ative position to an extent tolift the grate away from the saws, there is provided a rock shaftengaging the breast, which is hinged, and this rock shaft has anoperating handle exterior tothe gin. I I

The invention provides an automatic latch having a constant tendencytoward'the latching position, but yieldab'le to the movement of theoperating lever-"in a direction to lift the breast. As soon as theproper elevation is reached the latch snaps into the pathof the leverand holds the latter against return movement, so that an operator mayclean the grate of obstructions without fear or liability of injury.When, however, the gin is freed from the obstruction the operator maymove the latch to the released position, whereupon the parts willgravitate into operative relation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that while the drawings show a practical form ofthe invention, the latter is not con fined to any strict conformity withthe showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long assuch changes and modifications come within the scope of the appendedclaims,

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a cottongin stand showing the invention applied and with the breast raised.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line of Fig. 1, but drawn on a larger scale.

Fig. l is a section on the line l'-l of Fig. l'but drawn on the scale ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 but drawn on a largerscale.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a portion of a cotton gin stand1 which. being of known construction, needs no particular description.The stand is provided with the usual breast 2 having a grate 3 inoperative relation to gin saws 4 and having a hinge connection 5 solocated that the breast may be rocked on the hinge to move the grate 3away from a position where the saws project through it to a positionwhere the saws are back of the grate, and hence not liable to do injuryto the hands of an operator introduced into the breast structure forremoving obstructions therefrom.

Mounted in journal bearings 6 upon a cross bar 7 and upon one of theside posts 80f the gin is a rock shaft 9 terminating at one end in anangle arm 10 and at the other end in anoperatinghandle 11, both of whichmay be in one piece with the shaft 9 or may be separately made therefromand secured thereto. The armlO terminates in a finger portion 12 whichmay be rounded to engage against'a wear plate 13 on what constitutes theunder surface of a bar 14* extending across the lower end of the breastand sustaining the lower end of the grate 3, the breast hanging in agenerally pendent position from the hinge means 5,

When the shaft 9 is rocked in one direction the arm 10 is so moved thatthe finger 12 is out of the path of the bar 14 and the breast gravitatesto its normal position in which the saws l project through the slots ofthe grate 3. When the shaft 9 is rocked in the other direction thefinger 12, which is located about midway of the breast, engages theplate 13- and by a cam action rocks the breast so that the grate 3 iscarried away from the saws 4, and the latter are no longer exposedthrough the grate. So long as the breast maintains thelast-namedposition the operator may safely introduce his hands into theinterior of the breast and remove any obstructions there lodged.

Mounted on the post 8 by means of a pivot pin 13, or in any othersuitable manner is a lever 14 having at one end a handle 15, and at theother end an angle nose 16 in the path of which latter is a housing 17made fast to the post 8. The lever 14 is movable about its pivot 13 toan extent to cause the nose end 16 to move into and out of the housing17, but at no time far enough to escape from the housing, which lattermay have an end wall 18 in the path of the free end of the nose 16 tolimit the movement of the lever in one direction. Connected to thehandle end of the lever is one end of a spring 19 entering a casing 20fast to the post 8, with the other end of the spring secured to thecorresponding end of the casing. The tendency of the spring 19 is torock the lever 14 in a direction to maintain the nose 16, in the path ofthe handle 11,, but yieldable to permit rocking of the leversuflicientlyto move the nose l6 out'of the path of the handle 11. Thespring 19 maintains the lever 14 normally in'such position after thehandle 11 has been raised that when the handle is depressed to elevatethe breast the handle 11 will move along the lever until it passes belowthe nose portion 16, whereupon the latter is moved into the path of thehandle 11 and thereby prevents any rising movement thereof. The point onthe nose 16 engaged by the handle 11 is on the opposite side of thevertical plane in which the pivot 13 is. situated from the spring 19.The result is that any force which can be exerted upon the handle 11 toraise it. and so permit the breast tov fall is eifectively resisted andconsequently the. locking of the breast in the elevated position ispositive Without, however, presenting any material resistance to themovement of the lever 14 when purposely rocked to release the. handle.11. While the locking is certain, it is not of the positive nature whichoccurs when a dog or pawl engages behind a tooth.

The locking mechanism is of a nature resistant to accidentally appliedforces to which it is liable to be subjected under conditions of use.For this reason the look, while automatic in action in moving to thelocking position, and movable without particular effort to the releasedposition, is certain in action so that all liability of accident whenclearing the breast from obstructionsis obviated and the danger whichhas heretofore been encountered in the operation of cotton gins iseliminated.

What is'claimed is n 1. In combination with a member having a bent outerend at an angle thereto, a piv-. oted lever separate fromfthe member andmoving in a curved path at right angles to the bent outer end of saidmember, said lever having-an operating handle at the up. per end andhaving its lower end inwardly bent, and a spring for moving the lowerend of the lever normallyinto the path of the bent outer end of themember, so as to cause said bent outer end of the member to wipe alongthe edge of the lever and become seated below the bent. lower end ofsaid lever.

2. Ina cotton gin having a handled ZQQk member for engaging andelevating 1,3 15 breast of the gin, a lever pivoted near one end andthere provided with a handle, a

handle side of the pivot of the lever, and

said lever having a nose at the other end at WILLIAM MARION HENSON.

Witnessesr J. T. WHEATLEY, JAS'. A. TREEMS..

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by,addressing the. Commissioner 0; Patents,

washington nq r controlling spring for the lever on the

